V - Georgia

[flippinhogmana]

Georgia is perhaps unbeatable on the road by us, but at least we can put Bama aside and go on to another game.
Georgia played Ms State tougher longer than we did, and they beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt, both of those victories arent any real accomplishments, but they are more than what we have done.  They will outsize us, no surprise and they are playing at home. 

They have four players (topping out at 6-6) who are bigger than anyone we have.  However, of those four only Robinson at 6-3 plays much, they have two other forwards at 6-1 and 6-2 that are more than a match for us, those three play the bulk of the minutes and contribute the most to their scoring.  They will likely try to control the tempo and pound it inside as Bama did.

The game is Thursday at 7:00 pm and will be available on the SEC network on line.

[flippinhogmana]

According to this article it looks either like the tip for this game has been moved to 6pm (or that is local time for the tip, and its still 7:00 for us)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas women's basketball team is preparing to face four of its next five Southeastern Conference opponents on the road beginning with a trip to Georgia for a Thursday contest.

Arkansas (10-6, 1-2 SEC) takes on a rising Bulldog team (14-2, 2-1 SEC) in a 6 p.m. tip on the SEC Network Plus. The game is the first of back-to-back road contests with the Razorbacks traveling to Auburn on Sunday.

A home contest with Florida on Jan. 18, is sandwiched between another road swing that takes Arkansas to No. 12 Missouri on Jan. 21, and to No. 9 South Carolina on Jan. 25.

Scouting Arkansas
Devin Cosper, Malica Monk and Jailyn Mason continue to lead Arkansas. Cosper posted her seventh season/career double-double and her fifth 20+ point effort against Alabama last week. She leads the team with 16.7 points per game and is the second leading rebounder with a 7.2 average.

Monk checks in with 16.6 ppg followed by Mason at 10.0 ppg. In addition to the scoring skills of the guards, the duo has helped Arkansas rank among the SEC and national leaders with just 12.4 turnovers per game. The Razorbacks also rank in the top of the SEC for 3-point field goals made and attempted this season.

Scouting Georgia
Georgia is out to its best start since 2014-15 with a 14-2 record. Their lone SEC loss was against national powerhouse Mississippi State and the Bulldogs are 8-2 at home in Stegeman Coliseum. The Bulldogs have two players who average double figures led by Caliya Robinson with 12.3 ppg. She is also the team's leading rebounder with 6.9 boards per contest.

Georgia's defense has been the key to their success. They hold opponents below their season shooting average and defend the 3-point shot well – something that could force an adjustment in the Razorbacks' offensive plans.

Up Next
Arkansas faces Auburn on Sunday at 4 p.m. in a game that will air on the SEC Network. It is the first of six consecutive SEC Network games for the Razorbacks.

[MoHog74]

Good game tonight by the women.  Final score is not indicative of the game.  We were behind 18 at one point and cut the lead  to 1. Hopefully the men's team and coaches were watching. They could learn from the women.

[logic]

The lady razorbacks are undersized compared to most, if not all other, SEC teams. Coach has them playing better than expected and a lot better than I expected. And, even when losing, Monk and the entire team are fun to watch.

[flippinhogmana]

Good game tonight by the women.  Final score is not indicative of the game.  We were behind 18 at one point and cut the lead  to 1. Hopefully the men's team and coaches were watching. They could learn from the women.

First of all I didn't do the thread tonight because I wanted to make sure I wasn't jinxing the team.  Seriously, that's why I didn't do the thread.  But in reference to the game - after a cold start the hogs got down by 18 -  they they -began a run in the second quarter, including a 9-0 run to close it, that brought them to within six at the half.  They outscored the dogs in both the second and third quarters.  Mason did the most of the damage.  But Zimmer scored a season high (hit two threes) and the hogs not only closed to within one, they did it several times in the third and fourth.  They just couldn't hit the shot to take the lead, or they had a turnover or something each time that allowed the dogs to open it up again.

But it was still about a five point game until late when they had to start gambling and fouling, and the dogs hit most of their foul shots to push the lead out to the final of 13.

This one thing I am certain that MN has instilled in the team - they aren't going to quit, not against any team, not ever.  They will win some more.  Auburn has the same record and they don't have the conference leading shot blocker.  Maybe Williams and Thomas can do more inside against them and maybe Monk and Cosper's shots wont get as much against them as against the dogs.  I am not disappointed in their efforts, their fight, only the results.

[LadybackBBFan]

Flippin: two comments - Zimmerman hit three - 3's.  I think she was 3 of 4 or 5.  Amazing - I sure hope she gets some confidence from that.  I am finally beginning to see why she is playing.  The other item from you: "I am not disappointed in their efforts, their fight, only results."  My comment then is you should not be disappointed at all as coach states we are a "process team" - not results team.  If we become a results team, he will loose them.  All of us as fans need to remember that also or we will become disappointed in what is happening.
Coach was really proud of the team on the radio post game broadcast.  I agree with him, I was proud of the team.  I think it was Zimmerman's best game and also Thomas's best game.  Coach said in pre-game that he was planning on using Thomas and Williams in the same line-up in the fourth quarter which is what I had been looking to happen.  Williams early foul trouble changed the whole game and probably had something to do with our slow start.
I am hoping we can steal a win at Auburn on Sunday.

[MoHog74]

This one thing I am certain that MN has instilled in the team - they aren't going to quit, not against any team, not ever.  They will win some more.  Auburn has the same record and they don't have the conference leading shot blocker.  Maybe Williams and Thomas can do more inside against them and maybe Monk and Cosper's shots wont get as much against them as against the dogs.  I am not disappointed in their efforts, their fight, only the results.

I agree with your comments, Flippin (as usual). The team is enjoyable to watch, and in time the results will come. I was glad to see Zimmerman have a good night with 3 for 5 from 3-point arc. You can tell that CMN has instructed them to keep shooting, without worrying about missing and being subbed out. WPS

[flippinhogmana]

Flippin: two comments - Zimmerman hit three - 3's.  I think she was 3 of 4 or 5.  Amazing - I sure hope she gets some confidence from that.  I am finally beginning to see why she is playing.  The other item from you: "I am not disappointed in their efforts, their fight, only results."  My comment then is you should not be disappointed at all as coach states we are a "process team" - not results team.  If we become a results team, he will loose them.  All of us as fans need to remember that also or we will become disappointed in what is happening.
Coach was really proud of the team on the radio post game broadcast.  I agree with him, I was proud of the team.  I think it was Zimmerman's best game and also Thomas's best game.  Coach said in pre-game that he was planning on using Thomas and Williams in the same line-up in the fourth quarter which is what I had been looking to happen.  Williams early foul trouble changed the whole game and probably had something to do with our slow start.
I am hoping we can steal a win at Auburn on Sunday.

From MoHog74
I agree with your comments, Flippin (as usual). The team is enjoyable to watch, and in time the results will come. I was glad to see Zimmerman have a good night with 3 for 5 from 3-point arc. You can tell that CMN has instructed them to keep shooting, without worrying about missing and being subbed out. WPS

First, I couldn't remember if it was two or three that Zimmer hit, didnt mean to short her.

As far as process, I also watched the Aggies beat Tenner.  It was a close game throughout, and Tenner was on the road.  But wherever the game was played the Aggies had two things going for us that we dont have as yet.  (1) They know how to close a game out when its tight.  We haven't been in enough tight games that we have won (particularly coming from behind) that we have mastered that art and discipline yet.  (2) One of the things that you can do when you absolutely have to score in those situations is go inside.  Last night when we tried that we usually got the shot blocked whether it was on a drive or a shot by our post players.  Williams got blocked twice on one possession.  Our lack of height really hurt us last night (as it does most every night in our conference).

I am also hoping for a steal at Auburn.

[LadybackBBFan]

I thought Monk was fouled on two late drives in the lane - once was by Robinson who clearly got her by the body and the other was a guard should have been called for a foul.  Those two calls were critical.

[flippinhogmana]

I thought Monk was fouled on two late drives in the lane - once was by Robinson who clearly got her by the body and the other was a guard should have been called for a foul.  Those two calls were critical.

I will go along with you on at least one of the drives.  But the officiating was clearly better for the most part than the Alabama and Ole Miss games.

But every time she drove in there or Cosper or Mason did, they had much more difficult shots because the two Georgia bigs really werent that worried about having to defend our bigs.  I think they had eight blocks on us.  It would be nice to have at least one big that we could use to draw them away from the drive lanes.

[BWS]

Zimmerman's not a good shooter, but she's one of our best defenders.

[LadybackBBFan]

I will go along with you on at least one of the drives.  But the officiating was clearly better for the most part than the Alabama and Ole Miss games.

But every time she drove in there or Cosper or Mason did, they had much more difficult shots because the two Georgia bigs really werent that worried about having to defend our bigs.  I think they had eight blocks on us.  It would be nice to have at least one big that we could use to draw them away from the drive lanes.

I agree that the officials did a good job.  A key call was blowing the whistle and stopping play after Arkansas and Devin had a charge called on her to review a rebound play on the previous end of the gym when Robinson clearly threw her elbow.  That gave us two free throws which Mason made and the ball back at a crucial time in the game.